A/N: Ah, but it's been a long road, hasn't it? I would like to thank you all for your wonderful support…it means so much to me. Thank you.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters but I shall on the fifth book Saturday…
*** Thank you to Fredngeorgegirl for suggesting the use of this song, "Lady in Red," by Chris de Burgh.
Chapter 51: Into the Night
Natalie settled herself into Lee's warm embrace as they swayed gently to the music floating all around them. "You look lovely tonight," Lee whispered into her open ear. Natalie felt her body flush with a warm happiness, happy that he thought she was beautiful tonight.
She pulled away, only so far that she could look up into his dark eyes. "It's such a beautiful night, isn't it?" she asked.
Lee looked around the Great Hall. Tiny snowflakes fell from the magicked ceiling and the stars were so bright the candles were hardly needed. Christmas trees decorated the corners of the Great Hall, lights twinkling fervently on the many branches. "Not as lovely as you," he replied, looking down into her eyes. She knew he meant all the pretty words he said.
"Oh Lee," she said with a pleasant sigh.
Leaning her head against his shoulder, she smiled contentedly.
I've never seen you look so lovely as you did tonight /
I've never seen you shine so bright /
I've never seen so many men ask you if you want to dance /
They're looking for a little romance /
Given half a chance /
Katie tapped her foot in time with the music's beat. She hadn't danced with anyone and she had come alone to a dance that was for couples. That much was obvious anyhow, she was very out of place.
She wouldn't admit it, out loud anyway, but she had hoped Mitch would ask her to the dance. Obviously he hadn't and she had been talked into coming to the dance by Hermione and Parvati. Whatever had caused her to listen to either one of them was now way beyond her but she had, and so…she was alone.
And then there was the problem of these damn dress robes. Parvati had insisted on making it as form fitting as possible and she had succeeded by a difference of three uncomfortable sizes.
The sweetheart neckline was causing her to suffocate and never mind that it was squashing her breasts.
She took a deep breath and looked longingly at the French doors leading out to the veranda. It would be cold out there but anything was better than here; than this particular place.
She caught her reflection in the glass panes of the doors just before she opened them and noticed that she didn't look too bad. Honestly, she had been impressed with Parvati's sense of style. But the neckline? Uh huh. That just wasn't her.
Parvati had managed some simple highlights in Katie's long, dark tresses. She had wanted her to have an up-do but Katie put her foot down there. She absolutely hated the way she looked with her hair in anything fancier than a simple ponytail, although she was sure Parvati didn't know what a pony-tail was…it was too simple for her.
And anyhow, she was fairly happy with the outcome. More than one head had turned her way and she smiled warmly back, although she felt like her innards were cracking. Where was Mitch? And why was it the one boy she wanted to pay attention to her wouldn't?
The bushes behind her were rustling and she was fairly sure it was Alicia's giggle and George's snort that followed. She had seen Angelina and Fred slip out of the Great Hall after Fred had finished dinner. She didn't want to imagine what trouble they were finding themselves in.
She looked up at the dark expanse of sky and picked a star out. "Star light, star bright, I wish I may, I wish I might have this wish I wish tonight—
"I wish Katie Bell might hear the words I have to tell," another voice, a male's voice chimed in from behind her.
Katie's eyes widened in shock and disbelief and she found herself unable to turn and look into Mitch's eyes.
"Katie, I'm sorry…"
"I'm not mad at you Mitch. I never was," she interrupted in a quaking voice. Before he could say anything else, she continued, "And I was never hurt by you either. I don't care that you've read my diary." Finally she summoned the courage to turn around and look at him. "Just…why haven't you talked to me?"
He shrugged. "I guess…I don't know. You could have talked to me too, you know," he pointed out. He wasn't being vindictive, he was being honest.
Katie looked away. "Yes, I suppose you're right. I could have," she agreed wearily.
He took an awkward step forward. "I meant what I said Katie: I am sorry. Sorry for a lot of things, actually," he muttered quietly while pushing a hand through his hair.
She swallowed hard.
"It's just…you know that feeling you get when you wake up in the morning and it's a beautiful day? You know, the kind when the sun is out and the sky is blue? That's what you remind me of," he admitted to her.
Katie's heart did more than one flip flop. "You're shitting me," she said in a deadpan voice.
Mitch shrugged and looked in unblinkingly in the eye. "Do you think I am?"
She bit her lip and shook her head. "No, no I don't think you are."
And I've never seen that dress you're wearing /
Or those highlights in your hair /
That catch your eyes /
I have been blind /
"I can't believe how well this all worked out, Harry," Parvati said as the two sat out the song.
Harry squeezed her hand. "I'm glad it worked out too."
Parvati motioned into the thick crowd. "Even Malfoy has someone," she observed. And it was true, Malfoy and Dena Crossly had taken a liking to each other, or so it seemed. "Fitting isn't it? She's a Narcissa Malfoy look-a-like if I ever did see one." Parvati tossed a wicked smile in Harry's direction. "I always heard there was something a tad odd about that family."
Harry snorted.
Parvati leaned in closer to her boyfriend. "And what about Pansy? Has she taken a liking to Crabbe or am I imagining things?"
"How should I know? Aren't you the one who likes to know all this stuff?" Harry protested quietly.
Parvati giggled and kissed his cheek. She managed to snuggle in closer to him. "I haven't eavesdropped in a long time and you know that."
Harry kissed her dark hair. "It's kind of funny to watch Pansy make advances on Crabbe, considering I don't think he understands over half of what she's saying. By the way, did I tell you how beautiful you are tonight?"
Parvati smiled. "Only half a dozen times."
"Well then let's make it half a dozen times and one," he replied, kissing her hair again. "You look beautiful."
Her long dress was blood red, matching her lips in much the same way Hermione's Autumn Ball attire had done but the effect was completely different. While Hermione had looked beautiful beautiful, Parvati looked sexy beautiful. The dark red tone of her dress completely offset the dark tones of her skin and her hair fell down in curls. Harry thought she looked magnificent.
"Dance the next dance with me, Harry?"
He smiled and nodded.
The lady in red is dancing with me /
Cheek to cheek /
There's nobody here /
It's just you and me /
It's where I wanna be /
But I hardly know this beauty by my side /
I'll never forget the way you look tonight /
Ron felt like the luckiest wizard alive. At first, seeing Lavender come down in the stairs with an elegant pale mint green dress and her long blonde hair in braids, he had thought Seamus was the luckiest git on the earth but after seeing Hermione…she was…breathtaking.
Hermione's dress was the softest of blue and cream colors. It was nice, with a fitting waist and a low neckline, although not as low as her Autumn Ball dress, and it was soft. He loved touching her, if not for her then because the fabric felt like a cloud to touch.
A cloud, hmm, he rather liked that analogy.
He chuckled a little bit.
"May I ask what is so funny?" Hermione prompted. She kept her head on his shoulder though and he rather liked that.
"Oh nothing," he replied with a hint of mystery seeping into his voice.
Hermione sighed irritably. "Fine. Don't tell me."
"OK. Since you don't want me to, I won't," he teased back, immediately feeling Hermione huff against his shoulder. "Well, since you asked so nicely, I was only thinking of how good the fabric of your robes feel. They feel like clouds."
"Like a cloud?" she asked weakly, thoroughly impressed with the nice compliment.
Ron's hand traveled a titch lower on her back. "Very much so like a cloud," he whispered.
"You know Ron, everyone is down here. Dean is still dancing with Padma and Seamus is probably hiding in a rosebush outside with Lavender. Harry and Parvati are somewhere in here…" She tore her head from his shoulder and gave him a meaningful look.
Ron though, only looked confused.
"In fact," she continued a bit suggestively, "the only two who aren't still here are Fred and Angelina and neither one of them share a room with you."
Ron's eyes widened and Hermione laughed softly. "Yes, Ron, that's what I'm suggesting."
He dropped his arms from around her waist and tugged on her hand. "Well, come on then, what the hell are we bloody waiting for!"
Hermione didn't even try to scold him as she knew it would be useless. "Ron, you know what I mean, don't you?"
"Yeah, yeah…and I promise to respect that! We're too young anyway!"
Hermione rolled her eyes and conceded to following her boyfriend and his overactive pituitary gland around. What have I gotten myself into?
I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight /
I've never seen you shine so bright you were amazing /
I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side /
And when you turned to me and smiled it took my breath away /
And I have never had such a feeling such a feeling /
Of complete and utter love, as I do tonight /
"Carmen, can we talk?"
Carmen continued looking ahead, enjoying the cool December breeze hitting her face. "Honestly? I don't feel much like talking right now."
Natalie crossed her arms over her chest. "Carmen I'm sick of this. I'm sick of not talking to you. Of acting like we've never met every time I walk into the dorm. It's stupid and I'm sick of it."
"You wouldn't be if you were me," she retorted with a definite edge in her voice.
Natalie sighed impatiently. "Would you at least look at me?"
Carmen whirled around. "And then what Natalie? Do you want to kiss and make-up?" she asked with a mock pout. "Because I sure as hell don't!"
Natalie rubbed her eyes out of irritation. "Fine, but you don't know what happened. You don't have it right at all."
"Sure I do! You waited until I was unconscious to tell my crush that you liked him!" Carmen protested.
"Oh please; do you really think I'd do that?" Natalie asked. She was already disappointed if Carmen really thought she'd do that.
Carmen didn't reply.
"That wasn't how it had happened at all, Carmen. Harry and Hermione talked to Dumbledore and he told them that I needed to talk to Fred and George! Mitch had to read Katie's diary. Don't you see? Dumbledore knew…and surely if you don't trust me with what's right you trust Dumbledore!"
Carmen sighed, audibly defeated.
Natalie smiled weakly. "I am sorry," she said honestly.
Carmen matched Natalie's smile. "I know. I'm sorry too. I should have listened a long time ago. It's just-I was…hurt and I didn't know what to make of the whole thing. I'm sorry for not trusting you, Natalie," she replied.
"Isn't this the part where you kiss and make up?"
Both girls turned and saw Lee leaning against one of the many columns with a silly grin on his face.
Natalie walked up to her boyfriend, who happily circled her with an arm.
Carmen stepped toward them. She couldn't look Lee in the eye, she was so embarrassed by her behavior. "I'm sorry, Lee," she mumbled.
"For what?" he asked like a dense boy.
She opened her mouth and looked up at him curiously.
Lee waved a hand in the air. "Don't worry about it. It's all the past now."
The lady in red is dancing with me /
Cheek to cheek /
There's nobody here /
It's just you and me /
It's where I wanna be /
"Ooh, Harry, turn us around! I think I just saw Natalie go out to where Carmen is!" Parvati exclaimed hurriedly.
Harry tightened his grip around her thin waist and did as he was asked. "Better?"
She grinned and kissed his chin. "Much, thank you!"
Parvati strained to see out the French doors and stepped on Harry's foot as she tried moving closer. "Dammit," she muttered, "I can't see a thing Harry! The windows are too dark!"
Harry laughed and turned her around again so that his shoulder was between her eyes and the door.
She grinned.
But I hardly know this beauty by my side /
I'll never forget the way you look tonight /
Ron and Hermione were going through the halls like they were involved in some secret, covert operation. They jumped into the shadows of the stone hallway when a definite crash was sounded up ahead.
Hermione covered her mouth so that her breathing wasn't too hard and Ron kept her tucked close into his arms. "What was that?"
She shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? It was probably Peeves—
A loud cackling laugh interrupted her answer and Ron nodded with decision. "Definitely Peeves."
A second later they were moving through the hall again, toward the Gryffindor stairs. They were literally tiptoeing across the halls.
"Fred!" Angelina's amplified voice echoed. "Fred Weasley if anyone catches us…" her voice disappeared into the classroom they were evidently hiding in.
Ron's face screwed up in disgust.
They only made it a few feet when another voice interrupted their movement. "Well, well, well, if it isn't for Weasley and Granger," Snape's oily voice entered their ears. "Tell me, with a dance in the Great Hall what could the two of you possibly be doing?" he asked as if he knew the answer.
Hermione searched her brain quickly for an excuse. "Well, sir, Ron wasn't feeling well. He hate something bad I think," she made up.
"Really? Well then, I must inform Dumbledore one of the house elves aren't doing their job," he replied evilly.
She wisely chose not to reply.
Snape observed them for a moment before coming to his final decision. "Very well then; go on. And Weasley, don't forget the paper that will be due the moment you walk into class and don't cheat off your girlfriend's paper although I suppose it may be hard for you?" Snape reminded them before stalking off in the opposite direction.
Hermione hid a giggle behind her hand.
Ron grinned. "Come on, let's go!"
He moved to jog toward their destination but she stood still. "What is it?" he asked.
She smiled. "Could I have a kiss? That's all I want. Just one, little kiss."
Ron's eyebrows rose but he didn't argue with her. He leaned down to kiss her and Hermione sighed audibly when their lips touched. Bursts of light shone in her closed eyes and there was a heaven, she thought contentedly.
Ron's heart raced as he kissed her. He took her in his arms. He loved her. He was happy to love her.
She pulled away and smiled and together they walked the way to their common room, his arm around her waist and her head resting on his shoulder.
I never will forget the way you look tonight /
The lady in red /
My lady in red /
I love you /
Thank you to everyone who's stuck with me over the past couple of months. You guys are incredible! I hope you enjoyed this story and I must admit; this wasn't originally the story I had in mind but oh well, right? I loved writing this and am very pleased with how it turned out!
I will be away from ff.net for the next week, week and a half and then I will be continuing to update my fic, "Simple Emotions." Until that time, enjoy Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because I know I will be! Please review.
~ Tears from the Moon
Somewhere there's someone who dreams of your smile, and finds in your presence that life is worthwhile. So when you are lonely, remember it's true: somebody somewhere is thinking of you.